Maharashtra After MLAs, Shiv Sena MPs too cross over to Shinde camp
Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray's political crisis deepened further Thursday as Shiv Sena MPs too crossed over to the Eknath Shinde-led rebel camp which has the support of 41 party MLAs.
Media reports said over a dozen MPs have voiced their support for Eknath Shinde, including Shiv Sena's Thane MP Rajan Vichare, Washim MP Bhavna Gawli, Ramtek Krupal Tumane, Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde; and Palghar MP Rajendra Gavit.
Rajan Vichare and Shrikant Shinde are believed to be in Guwahati in Assam, where BJP is in power.
As MPs side with Shinde, the powerful Thackeray family at the core of the party is left isolated.
However, Krupal Tumane has denied rumours that he has switched sides.
The Shiv Sena has 55 MLAs in the assembly. Out of them 41 are believed to be with Eknath Shinde in Guwahati.
The party has 19 MPs. According to an NDTV report, Tumane insisted that he was still with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena.
He said he has not been contacted by anyone, and some incorrect information about his cross over to the rebel camp was being spread.
Meanwhile, two Sena leaders Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi, both Rajya Sabha MPs, have firmly rejected the possibility that Uddhav Thackeray's government in Maharashtra is on the verge of collapse.
